


this moment right now

by lizook12



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Future Fic, Jim "Chief" Hopper Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-08-09 22:50:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20125138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizook12/pseuds/lizook12
Summary: He’s not entirely sure how she’d react to Flo offering them her family beach house along some forgotten lake in Michigan.





	this moment right now

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Keith Urban's _Long Hot Summer_

He rolls the window further down, checks his pocket for the keys one more time as Joyce sighs from the passenger seat. 

He knows it’s driving her crazy to not know exactly where they’re going, but it’s the first vacation for either of them in… well, a long fucking time… and being able to give her a good surprise for once makes him happier than he likes to let on. 

Plus, he’s not entirely sure how she’d react to Flo offering them her family beach house along some forgotten lake in Michigan.

He really should have asked more questions about the place than he did, but…

Good surprises.

“You're sure we’re not lost?”

“As long as there’s gas in the tank, we’re not lost.”  


She rolls her eyes, glances into the backseat where Will and El are sleeping soundly. “How can they still be out cold?” 

“They’re teenagers, I’ve stopped trying to apply logic.” He drums his fingers against the paneling of the door, glances at the kids in the rearview mirror. “We’re just lucky they haven’t blown their allowances on something mindblowingly dumb like those neon watches all their friends seem to have.”

“It’s been almost three hours though and these…” She grips the door handle. “Aren’t the smoothest roads.” 

He just shrugs in response and she shakes her head, turning to stare out the window. Road signs fly by and any hope she had of figuring out where exactly they’re going is long gone. North is her best guess, but beyond that… 

The atlas she had open earlier might as well be written in Greek, is all. 

It’s always been that way.

She’s great at entertainment though—teaching Jonathan the license plate game on that lone trip to see Lonnie’s folks, making up stories because the tape deck ate the audio version of Will’s favorite book, singing in various voices on runs to the market or the Wheeler’s. It’s one of the things she’s always been proud to give her boys. She can’t get them newest fad or the coolest, raddest shoes, but she can give them these little moments. 

Can do it for all her kids. 

Her whole family. 

She turns back towards Hop and is unable to hold back a smile as her gaze sweeps over his profile. He’s got a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, his arm is hanging out the window, right hand loose on the steering wheel.

He’s been more relaxed at home lately, but she knows work still gets to him, that the horror of interdimensional travel and trying to protect their kids lingers, and…

It’s just really nice to see him this carefree.

Still, she can’t resist poking the bear. 

(It’s part of why she loves him after all. That grumpiness and teasing the only armor around his big heart.) 

“If you’re not going to tell me where we’re going—“

“I’m not.”  


“I’m going to be forced—“ 

“Joyce, no one can force you to do anything.”  


Her arm hovers in mid-air as she lets out a laugh “Fair point.” 

“They didn’t make me the chief of police for nothing.” 

“Still…” Leaning forward, she turns the volume on the radio up, begins fiddling with the tuner. “I’m going to be forced to put the pop channel on and—“

His hand flies off the wheel, covering hers on the dial. “I’d rather be stuck on a remote island with Murray for two days.” 

“I could probably arrange that, we keep in touch.“

“What? Via homing pigeon?”

“No.” She bites her lip and he cannot wait to hear the actual answer. “It’s usually a coded answering machine message, occasionally a postcard with no signature.” 

He laughs loud and long, half afraid he’s going to wake the kids, but they stay passed out. He probably doesn’t want to know how late they were up chatting with Mike and Max via walkie talkie. 

“I think we’re his only actual friends, Jim.”  


“We’ll make sure to invite him for Christmas.” And then, because she’s right and Murray… well, he might not be here if it wasn’t for Murray. “I’m serious, let’s have him for the holidays. At least invite him; not sure he’ll actually turn up.” 

“That’s…” Her hand falls to his knee, squeezing lightly. “That’s a great idea. I’ll have Jonathan start figuring out the best way to word it.” 

“I’m still not telling you.”  


“Oh really?” Her fingers drift up his leg, dancing across his upper thigh. She feels his muscles tense beneath her palm and she pauses, makes herself count to twenty, before dragging her thumb over him in light circles.  


His fingers flex on the wheel, knuckles flaring white as his jaw tenses. He steals another look in the rearview mirror and groans. “Not fair.” 

She shrugs, leaning across the gear shift and pressing a kiss to his jaw, teeth scraping against his skin for a quick second before she pulls away. “So?” 

“Fine, we’ve got a place off of Lake Charlevoix. There’s a beach and, ya know, all that other lake shit: boating, fire pits… I think Flo even said there was a hammock…” 

“Sounds great.” Settling fully back in her seat, she pulls in a shaky breath, smooths her shirt as her mouth lifts in a promise for later. “Do you think they have decent food in the area? Or should we stop at a market for more supplies?” 

“Flo’s family has been coming here for years, I’m sure she would have warned me if we needed more than just our favorites and the makings for s’mores.” 

“We can’t live on s’mores alone.” 

“I guess not, they are delicious though.” Consulting the small sheet of directions wedged into the dashboard, he makes the next turn. “I’m sure like any beach place there will be plenty of touristy specialities: sno-cones, cotton candy…” 

In the backseat El stretches stealthily, her shoulder bumping Will’s as she does. He shoulders her back, his eyes rolling up at the pair in the front seat before he turns and goes back to sleep. Following his lead, she closes her eyes once more, smiling to herself as her parents begin to argue whether taffy or fudge is the better beach snack. 

**Author's Note:**

> The "you're not lost as long as there's gas in the tank" maxim is one of my father's favorite sayings. It seemed like something Hopper might live by as well. 
> 
> The brightly colored watches referenced are Swatches, which started being produced in the 80s.


End file.
